(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for maintaining muscle activity and activating the lymphatic system particularly in a user not able to swim or walk due to illness, accident or age. In particular, the present invention relates to a device wherein a resilient means is connected to a support mechanism at one end and a stirrup at the other end. The base of the support mechanism is collapsible in order to allow compact shipping and storage. A user inserts a heel into the stirrup and in response to a brief downward force exerted by the heel in the stirrup, the resilient means oscillates up and down thereby maintaining muscle activity and activating the lymphatic system in the leg, without significantly exercising the muscles in the leg.
The lymphatic system is a system of vessels which closely parallels the blood vascular system. The lymphatic system helps maintain the proper fluid balance in the tissues and the blood by returning the blood protein and tissue fluid leaked from the blood vascular system to the blood. As a way to provide cells with nutrients, blood proteins seep out of the capillaries of the blood vascular system and into the interspacial spaces between the cells. Once the blood proteins diffuse from the capillaries of the blood vascular system into the tissue, the blood proteins are unable to be reabsorbed back into the circulatory system through the capillaries. The lymphatic system provides a method of removing the blood proteins from the spaces between the cells and transporting the blood proteins back into the circulatory system. The capillaries of the lymphatic system absorb the blood proteins from around the cells and into the lymphatic system. The blood proteins are removed through the vessels of the lymphatic system wherein the blood proteins are returned to the blood vascular system through the blood venous system. Unlike the blood vascular system which is controlled by the heart, the lymphatic system has no separate means to pump the lymph through the lymphatic system to the blood venous system. The lymph movement depends primarily on external forces such as muscular contraction, respiratory movement and gravity. Thus, to move the lymph, especially upward through the legs, the lymphatic system relies on a series of one way valves and compression of the valved lymphatic trunks by the surrounding leg muscles. Therefore, in order to keep the lymphatic fluid moving through the lymphatic system and thus remove blood proteins from around tissue cells, the muscles in a particular body area, such as the legs, must be kept active. New Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 11, p. 213, (1982).
By using the device of the present invention, the user is able to maintain a level of activity in the muscles of the legs for a longer period of time due to the low energy output required to operate the device. The longer the user's muscles are active, the longer the lymphatic system actively works to remove blood proteins from around the cells and through the lymphatic system. By placing only the heel of the foot within the stirrup, the user is allowing maximum activity in the legs and is allowing the device to activate the portion of the lymphatic system located in the soles of the feet. The heel of the foot contains several layers of fat which reduces the portion of the heel occupied by the lymphatic system. Thus, placing the heel in the stirrup causes little interference with the lymphatic system. The longer the lymphatic system works actively to remove blood proteins the more nutrients which flow to the cells and the more waste which is removed from around the cells and consequently the healthier the cells.
The user can also rest the heel of the foot in the stirrup without exerting a force in order to use the device as an elevated foot rest. The elevated foot rest allows the blood in the legs to flow upward out of the lower portion of the legs. The elevation of the legs helps to reduce the blood pressure in the veins of the legs thus, helping to relieve the discomfort associated with varicose veins, gout and edema.
(2) Prior Art
The prior art has described various types of exercising devices for appendages which use a resilient means attached to a stirrup or sling. The purpose of such devices is to exercise the muscles in the appendages. Illustrative of such devices are U.S. Pat. Nos. 798,114 to Rosenthal; 2,183,265 to Maloney; 2,274,574 to Zerne; 2,919,134 to Zuro; and 3,510,128 to Richardson.
Rosenthal describes an exercising device which is mounted onto a bed frame. The exercising device is comprised of elastic cords or helical springs which are attached at the upper end to the cross shaft which is attached to the bed and at the lower end to handles. The user is able to use the device either in the sitting or prone position depending on whether the arms or the legs are being exercised.
Maloney describes a bed service device which is attached to the ceiling or other support device over the bed. The device employs a system of ropes and pulleys to allow a user who is in the bed to use the ropes to position himself and also to use the slings or bars at the end of the ropes to exercise his limbs.
Zerne describes an exercising device which consists of a complicated system of rubber cords which form a set of loops and are attached at one end through a series of holes in an anchor plate to the ceiling. Depending on the particular user, certain loops are attached at the end opposite the anchor plate to slings which are intended to hold the user's arms or legs. The system is designed to be used by a person who is lying down for exercise of their arms or legs.
Zuro describes a home exercising device which consists of a main bar portion which is intended to be supported between two vertical supports such as a doorjamb. A pair of springs are attached at one end to the main bar portion and are provided with a handle at the opposite end. The main bar portion can also be held by the user while the legs of the user are positioned on the handles thus providing another form of exercise.
Richardson describes an exercising apparatus wherein the frame member is attached to a chair. The U-shaped frame extends between the arms of the chair in a generally vertical plane above the seat portion. The leg exerciser portion of the device consists of a pair of springs and stirrups. To use the device from the sitting position, the user places his feet in the stirrups and rotates his legs in a bicycle-like motion against the tension of the springs.
All the above devices are intended to be used to exercise the user's arms or legs particularly those of older people. There remains a need for a device which easily provides stimulation to the lymphatic system of the legs while not requiring the user to exercise and expend large amounts of energy.